Commentary

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Asprey founded in 1781 in Surrey, England by William Asprey as a silk printing business, soon became a luxury emporium of leather goods, jewelry, home goods and more. Charles, Willam Asprey's eldest son in 1841 created a partnership with a stationer located on London's Bond Street and later he and his family broke the alliance and made 167 New Bond Street their new premises. Asprey's received its first recognition in the traditional travel cases it crafted in leather suitable for the new style of travel ushered in by railways which won them a gold medal at the International Exhibition of 1862. As the company flourished, they opened manufacturing facilities and hired goldsmiths, silversmith jewellers and watchmakers including Ernest Betjeman, one of the most highly regarded craftsman and designers of his day. "